Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
37signals.com
Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
1–10 of 98 posts
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#2Have you considered selling it directly to your user base?
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#3This may be one of my favorite posts on SVN for the sheer guts of it. "We had many tire kickers. We want X."
I love how open and direct 37signals culture is. Very inspiring.
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#4I am very curious if there is more information they'd be willing to release. For example, how many of those $99 customers are happy, how many have garnered business they can confirm came from Sortfolio, etc. It seems like they've started, but not finished, to make one side of the market, but there's not much evidence about the other.
So few paying customers could be giant firms paying on the off chance that they get 1 client down the road. For it to be a compelling business, it would need to be clear that paying clients are finding developers there.
I would also be interested to know their goals when they built it, and why it's being sold.
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#5I believe this was a concern raised the first time they were trying to sell it, but a big worry for anyone considering purchasing Softfolio is probably what would happen when 37s no longer owns it.
It's sort of like their job board (http://jobs.37signals.com/). People like the job board because of the types of developers it attracts. Both companies and prospective employees value each others' skills and styles. If 37s didn't own that job board and sold it, it suddenly becomes 'just another job board'. Is it the same deal with Sortfolio? Anyway good luck to the potential buyers of Sortfolio. Hopefully they won't have wasted $480,000.
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#6The bottom line when evaluating whether to purchase this or not would involve doing due diligence and contacting the paying customers at the very least to determine how satisfied they are with being listed there.
The site is using auto-renewal billing and having someone not cancel is not the same as someone finding value in the service.
Also even though they would like to get $480,000 they should also invite any offers above $X. If nobody bids at $480,000 they will have to try to sell it at a lower price and it will seem like a fire sale.
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#7Surely a lot of that value comes from the prestige and attention that accrue to 37signals, not because it's an amazing job board.
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#8I am very curious if there is more information they'd be willing to release. For example, how many of those $99 customers are happy, how many have garnered business they can confirm came from Sortfolio, etc. It seems like they've started, but not finished, to make one side of the market, but there's not much evidence about the other. So few paying customers could be giant firms paying on the off chance that they get…
"if there is more information they'd be willing to release. For example, how many of those $99 customers are happy, how many have garnered business they can confirm came from Sortfolio, etc."
Best way to gather this information is to take the time to contact the customers directly being honest as to the purpose of the inquiry.
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#9Have you considered selling it directly to your user base?
How would that even work?
Re: Sortfolio: Going once, going twice...
#10Anybody considering co-buying it?